Column for buildings



(No Model.)

' H. B. MURLLESS'.

COLUMN FOR BUILDINGS.

N0. 512,049. Patented Jan; 2,1894.

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. Jazz/aw UNITED ATENT Erica.

COLUMN FOR BUILDINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 512,049, dated January2, 1894.

Application filed September 14, 1891- Serial No. 405,610. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERBERT B. MURLLESS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rockville, in the county of Tolland and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inColumns for Buildings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of columns for buildings, andto the protection thereof from fire.

The object of my invention is to provide a hollow column for buildings,with means for protecting the same against the destructive effects ofheat by supplying water to the interior of the column.

In the drawings accompanying and forming apart of this specification,Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a hollow column provided with meansfor automatically supplying water thereto in case of fire, and embodyingmy present invention. Fig. 2 is a view similar to the upper part of Fig.1, and shows a modification of the apparatus.

Similar characters designate like parts in both the figures. I

According to my present invention, the hollow metallic column of abuilding, which stands upon the lower beam or base B and under the upperbeam D, is normally closed at the lower end thereof, and at the upperend thereof is provided with one or more vents for the escape of air andsteam, the

top of the column being normally closed by sald beam resting thereon; awater-supply is provided, as for instance a water-pipe or conductor,which is brought to a point adjacent to the column; which pipe isprovided with means for directing said water-supply into the column incase of fire.

In Fig. 1, the column, designated in a general way by O and shown insection, is set upon the base or bottom-plate 2, within the flange 3thereof, the joint between said column and plate being cemented orotherwise made substantially watertight. Said bottom-plate (or the baseof the column close above said plate) is furnished with means foremptying the column of water when this is required, said means beingusually a drippipe, as 4, having a suitable stop-valve, as 5,

for closing the same. Said pipe 4 may be extended to a point without thebuilding, to

avoid damage to goods or machinery from the draining of the column.Ordinarily, said valve 5 should, of course, be kept closed. At the upperend of the water-holding column, this is shown provided with two vents,6 6, for the escape of air during the filling of the column with water,and for the escape of steam when the water within the column has becomeheated by fire in the building. Adjacent to the top of the column, apipe, 25, is fitted to enter the same, the outer end of said pipe beingfurnished with a suitable funnel, as F, for receiving the water from thewatersupply and directing the same (through said pipe 25 forming thespout of the funnel) into the interior of the column. The water-supplyis brought to a point adjacent to (and preferably above) the funnel F byan ordinary water-pipe, 8, leading from the watermains or reservoir. Asa means for automatically delivering the water to the funnel in case offire, said pipe 8 is provided at the end thereof with an automaticsprinkler, 10, constructed in a well-known manner to be started intooperation by the action of heat when the temperature shall rise above acertain predetermined point. On the starting of the sprinkler, which ishere shown used merely as an automatic valve, the water fiows from thepipe 8 into the funnel F and through this into the interior of thecolumn, rapidly filling the column up to thenormal waterline a. a,which, of course, corresponds in height to the top of the funnel.

By constructing and arranging the conduit or inlgt pipe 25 asdescribed,with one end leading into the column and having its oppositeend fun nel-shaped, or provided with a funnel-shaped piece,-said pipeserves two purposes; it not only acts to introduce the water into thecolumn, but also acts as an over-flow for the water when it has reacheda certain heightin the column, to prevent its passage through theair-vents, which would preclude the escape of air or steam.

In the modification shown in Fig.2, th funnel F is omitted, and as asubstitute therefor, the end 8' of the pipe 8 is continued through ahole in the side'of the column, and

a stop-valve, 15, is placed in the pipe outside.

the column, means being provided for opening this valve by the action ofheat. For this purpose the valve-arm 17 is connected by a chain, 18,extending from the roller 19, with a weight, W, of sufficient mass toopen the valveon thefalling of the weight. Said weight is normallysupported at a sulficient height to permit the closing of the valve by acord or wire, 20, adapted to be burned or melted when the temperaturerises to the desired predetermined point. On the severance of saidconnection 20, said weight drops to the position shown in dotted linesat W, thereby throwing the valve-arm 17 to the position 17 therebyopening the valve and directing the water-supply into the interior ofthe column.

In practice, it is not essential that the wa of the upper end thereof.

My improvement is particularly adapted for use in mills and factories,which, as is well known, are frequently destroyed in case of fire by thecollapsing of the heated columns, when otherwise the fire might besubdued before the-destruction of the building.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination withthewater-holding column having vents at its upper end and having means atits lower end for draining the column, of an inlet-pipe or conduitleading into said 0011] um near the top and having the funnel-shapedouter end, as described, a water-supply pipe leading to a point adjacentto the funnel-shaped end of the inlet-pipe and provided with athermally-controlled valve, substantially as and for the purposedescribed. 7

2. The combination with the water-holding column closed at its lower endand having means for draining said column and having one or more ventsat the upper end thereof, of a conduit, substantially as described,leading into said column near the upper end thereof and adapted toreceive and direct the water into the colum n,.a water-supply pipeleading to a point adjacent to the conduit, the valve in saidsupply-pipe, a valve-actuator consisting of a suspended weight connectedwith thevalve and a weight-retainer consisting of the connection 20separable by heat and connected with said weight, for normally holdingthe samewhile the valve is closed, all being organized and co-acting todetach the weight to automatically open the valve on application of heatto said connection, substantially as described.

HERBERT B. MURLLESS.

Witnesses: I FRANCIS I-I. RICHARDS, HENRY L. RECKARD.

